We Didn’t Start the Fire, But…

“Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned?”

The man wants the fire.
The man wants the fire close to his heart.
The man knows the fire will burn him.
Yet the man doesn’t want his flesh or clothes to be burned.

Ah, decisions, decisions!
Can I take the fire (sinful desire) without being burned (bodily harm, mental anguish, legal trouble, or God’s discipline)?

I find myself at these crossroads often—thanks to my flesh. Do you?

I truly believe we’ll keep facing these moments as long as we draw breath.

Don’t want to get burned? Then we’ll need some help…

* We pray—daily and even multi-daily—for strength from the Lord.

* We position ourselves to succeed—by not going near the “fire.”

We gain a new mindset—desiring the glory of God more than the “fire.” (That last one, I admit, has been my lifelong struggle.)


As Billy Joel said, “We didn’t start the fire.” But it’s always burning, always enticing, and always capable of scorching—or completely consuming—us.


Today and this weekend, I want to make God-glorifying choices in His strength. I hope you do too.